Pieces of Me
by Melancholy-Vixen
Summary: Chapter Five- I don't know how to live with myself anymore. There has to be something I could've done to prevent all this. Hiatus
1. Prologue

This is the prologue to my Danny Phantom story, "Pieces of Me," which has been highly inspired by the rock band known as "RED." This story will primarily be dark and is rated M for violence and profanity, but there will be parts that don't seem to fit that standard for the sake of progression in the story. I only hope that you, my readers, enjoy this as much as I did writing it. I try to keep a couple chapters ahead to stay on schedule of updates.

Enjoy.

* * *

Somewhere, I will find  
All the pieces torn apart, you just left behind  
In your mystery

_~Red "Mystery of You"_

* * *

"_I'm sorry Sam. It's something… something I have to do," Danny said softly, brushing a rebellious strand of my raven hair behind my ear with his faintly glowing, gloved hand. He kept up a sad smile, while I was too busy crying to even try to look supporting. "You know I would never leave you if I had the choice-"_

"_You have the choice!" I cried out in between sobs. My fingers rolled into tight fists and I lowered my gaze down to the ground. "Don't go… Please, don't leave."_

_Danny was silent for several agonizing seconds before he stepped forward and placed a cold hand on my shoulder. Almost out of reflex, I leapt towards him and wrapped my arms around his torso, burying my face and sobbing into his suit. The chill of his being sent a small shiver down my spine, but it was a comforting feeling all the same. Eventually he returned the embrace was stoically as he probably could with me on him._

"_I promise I'll be back. I don't know when, but I will be," he finally spoke, "I'm doing this for everyone- for you. Without me… there's not much hope left."_

_I forced myself away from him and scrubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. I nodded slowly and muttered, "Yeah…" When I returned my attention towards Danny, he forced another smile. Despite knowing it was fake, it made me feel a little lighter._

"_Just try to stay out of trouble- or keep Tucker out of trouble, anyway- while I'm gone." He touched my face with his fingertips. I smirked a little._

"_I can't guarantee anything," I responded in the best casual tone I could. It was difficult with those circumstances. "But I'll try."_

"_That's all I ask," Danny whispered, bowing his head and pressing his lips against mine. I hardly had time to return the kiss before he began pulling away. He floated a little above the ground and slowly traveled backwards, his face stirring with different emotions- most of which fairly depressing. I told myself to stand still, even with my intuition screaming at me to chase after him as he rose higher into the air._

"_Goodbye, Sam," he said with a slight wave before turning away from me and shooting off in flight. I could only watch him grow farther and farther away until he melted into the clouded sky, the mere image of his beautiful green eyes staring into mine- stamped permanently into my brain and flickering through my mind._

_I heaved a long, relieving sigh. Danny was gone, and I still doubted that it would be soon before I saw him again. I feared what sort of battles he would put himself into, and how he would handle everything on his own, without me or Tucker. He was strong, though, and I knew he'd do alright…_

"_See you later, Danny," I said finally, much belated as I turned and headed off against the uncomfortable wind towards home. Around me, life continued as usual and there was the chatter of people along with the roars of passing cars. Everything was in its place, and I knew Danny would make sure to keep it that way. _


	2. Nothing and Everything

Chapter One: Nothing and Everything

* * *

All this time  
I can make it right  
With one more try  
Can we start again?

_~Red "Start Again"_

* * *

I didn't think Amity Park could ever be as "normal" as it is now. Days come and go in a steady rhythm and school is just as boring as ever. There are less ghost attacks, which is understandable and pleasant, and the Fentons always take care of what specters there are. Most of them were weak, so it isn't really a big shock…

Tucker sometimes mocks me for losing my goth attitude on life. I can only assume he's talking about my change in clothing, which has spawned into something much more casual than black. I go easy on the make-up, too. I don't know why I've changed like this, but… something about it feels right. There's no way I'll ever touch meat, though!

It's hard to believe I'm already a Senior in high school. I was accepted to nearly ever college of my choosing (my grades improved drastically over the terms), and it was difficult to narrow it down to just one. Eventually I settled on a smaller, much more private institute which was located on the edge of the state. My parents wanted me to go to the big, prissy rich school, of course, but I never listen.

Besides that, everything else is still the same. Tucker and I are still considered unpopular, and Paulina and her jock-flock, though all in our grade, still treat us like little kids. The bullying has died down somewhat, though, due to the whole maturing ordeal, and the fact that we were the closest to the world hero, Danny Phantom… I still miss him. While I don't spend my days longing for him to return while staring out my window, I do occasionally wish he would poke his head through my locker, laugh, and then apologize for the surprise.

There's a void he left which seems impossible to fill.

"I got accepted for that job over at the electronics shop," Tucker said as he skidded to a halt in front of me, ending his marathon tearing around the school. Searching for me, probably. A wide grin stretched from ear to ear.

"That's great!" I said with a small smile, pulling a history book from my locker and tucking it under my arm. I clicked the metal door shut and turned towards Tucker, who was shuffling on his feet.

"Man, you'd never believe how great that place is! Great pay, I get to play with technology all day… it's like a dream come true! If only there were more girls working there…" he trailed off in devious though, to which I could only roll my eyes.

"You move on fast," I noted in a chuckle. He shrugged.

Tucker had been going out with Valerie- I still can't believe it- for a few months before splitting it off. He claimed she was too overbearing and serious, while she whined about him taking too many risks and flirting with other girls. I took her side, obviously, but never said a word of it.

"I heard a rumor that Tyler- no- oh, Trevor was going to ask you out," Tucker piped up after a while of silence. I froze in place, my gaze locked down on my pale-grey shoes. Tucker inched closer to me and gave me a kittenish look.

"I'm not interested," I mumbled, shaking my head. Tucker was disappointed at this, and frowned.

"Sam, you're not still after Danny, are you? He's been gone for-"

"I know that, Tucker!" I snapped, "I am over it, but I don't want to 'go out' with anyone. I need to work on school and stuff first. I just don't want to worry about that sort of thing yet." My fingers dug into my book as I turned away from the boy.

"Okay, okay, Sam, I'm sorry," he said quickly, and I sighed.

"Nah, it's alright. I shouldn't have yelled." I twisted back around and flicked my hair back out of my face.

Tucker flashed a smile, and the bell rang. Students around me said their goodbyes and set off for their separate classes. Tucker gave me a friendly wave and headed off as well, leaving me alone in front of my locker. The halls began to clear out, and only a couple of teachers and students who could care less about attendance were still wandering around. I bit down lightly on my lower lip and padded off to my homeroom class. The sounds of my shoes clicking against the linoleum droned in my ears and became nearly hypnotic, even as I reached the proper room. My fingers wrapped around the steel handle, and I grew still. Something felt off. I couldn't put my finger on what, exactly, but it was there.

As I swung the door open, I was alarmed by the screech of my classmates and the horrible sound of splitting wood as desks were flung to the side against the walls. My eyes widened and I instinctively threw myself against the walls, the book I had carefully held in my arm left forgotten and abandoned on the floor.

"Ghost! It's a ghost!" I heard someone cry. A strong sense of nostalgia washed over me in one huge wave and blinded me.

"Look out!" Another cried before I felt myself being shoved violently onto the floor. I coughed as the wind was knocked out my lungs and looked over to see a familiar blond, freckled boy standing firm with his face twisted into one of determination and rage.

"T-Trevor!" I gasped, realizing that he had pushed me out of the way of a flying desk. A greenish wisp rose from the ground and solidified into a massive, almost human form. It cackled and kicked over the teacher's desk.

Trevor looked over at me in worry.

"Sam, are you okay?" He asked me, running over and offering out a hand. I took it, and he gently helped me back to my feet. I released a long breath in an attempt to slow my painfully pounding heart, but kept a wary eye on the ghost.

"Yeah," I responded shakily, "I'm fine. But the class isn't; what are we going to do about this?! We're trapped!" I motioned towards the door, pummeled with debris, with a hand. Trevor clenched his jaw and thought for a moment.

"I don't know," he admitted lowly, "but I wish Valerie was here."

"Me too," I agreed, as weird as it felt. She was our best chance of survival at that moment, and everyone probably knew it. The only professional ghost fighter in the entire school…

Trevor grunted and stood, rushing over to a broken desk and grasping one of the oak legs that was still relatively intact. He placed his foot against the wooden under-surface for support before growling and tearing off the stick. He slapped it against his hand, watching the ghost with cautious brown eyes. My own eyes widened.

"Don't even think about that! It's a ghost; you can't just beat it with a table leg!" I yelled, feeling irritation spark inside of me. Was he acting like this to be the hero, and show off to me? He seemed like the type…

"I got this Sam, go get Valerie or something!" He ordered. I growled under my breath.

"Stop acting like such a hero!" I hissed, stamping my foot. Trevor gasped, not hearing my protest in favor of the ghost's roar. A figure shot out from the floor, his fist drilling directly into the green form's stomach. It shot upward and barely managed to phase through the ceiling in time. The attacking figure emerged completely from underground and levitated for a moment, glancing around the classroom. His suit was mostly black, besides from snowy white gloves, boots, and belt hugging loosely around his waist. More white belts were wrapped snugly on his upper arms, and a matching cape flittered out from behind him.

"Is anyone hurt?" He asked professionally. Dumbly, Trevor shook his head. "Good," the figure, a teenage ghost- I realized, said in satisfaction. "Don't worry about him. He has a loud bark and makes a mess, but he scares easily. He won't be back for a while." The ghost kid lowered and landed gracefully on the tiled floors. I stared blankly at him, unable to pry my eyes away. He was so familiar… his identity was so obvious, but the words I wanted to put together remained rolling around in the back of my throat, unheard.

"Who are you?" Trevor asked in a snort. His eyebrow tweaked in great annoyance that the glorious ghost showed him up when he had the limelight. I guess I was right about him after all.

The boy's electrified emerald eyes rested on him. "That's right. I haven't been here in a while… been busy, y'know?" He laughed innocently, completely avoiding the question. He ran a hand through his white hair and inhaled deeply, his expression slowly shifting back into one of seriousness. He watched my other classmates come out from hiding before I finally noticed him relax.

Then, our gazes locked together.

"… Sam?" He asked softly, unbelieving. Trevor gave him a nervous glance, and then turned it at me. Even with the space between us I could feel him stare spark with jealousy.

"You… know him?"

I ignored the blond and took a hesitant step forward. "Is it really you?" He tried again, but I said nothing. After several more seconds I had sped up into a fast walk and approached the half-ghost, his face mere inches from mine. The "D" symbol on his chest, the one I created long ago, stared back at me.

"Danny!" I cried out, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He gasped in surprise and remained tense for a few seconds before I felt his hands on my back. I could feel Trevor's gaze piercing through the back of my head. "You came back," I whispered.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "Sorry it took so long, but I'm back… for good, hopefully."

"I've missed you," I mumbled, resting my head on his chest. I felt familiar warmth spread throughout my limbs, and I closed my eyes. The rhythm of his heartbeat, though slow and inhuman, was practically hypnotic. "It's so good to see you again."

"Same here. You're certainly- erm- grown…" The childish embarrassment in his voice was a welcome relief. I looked back up at him with a sly smirk. Even through his pale skin, I saw a faint blush rise up in his cheeks. It made me wonder about specific topics which I intended to bring up later.

"You have no idea."


	3. Shadows

Chapter Three: Shadows

* * *

Wasting away is part of my instinct  
I'll runaway, everything I hate  
Take this away, help me escape  
Take this away

_~Red "Confession (What's Inside My Head)"_

* * *

It's amazing how the staff at Casper High reacted to Danny's return. I would've at least expected someone like Lancer to simply shrug it off and comment about his poor attendance. But instead, he treats Danny like a hero… it's a little creepy, actually. Of course a lot of the students were squealing all day- apparently he has more fans than I thought. I could only imagine how angry these girls were when they saw us walking together, and overheard Danny saying that he specifically wanted to talk to me in private. Just me and no one else.

It made me laugh.

Danny remained in his ghost form until we were outside of the building. When he returned to his human self, I was amazed by his growth. He was much taller and definitely more defined- almost as if he had never been scrawny to begin with- and his voice was deepened to near adulthood. He hardly seemed like the same person I knew when I was fourteen, besides a similar loose T-shirt and jeans.

"I can't believe they just let me out of school like that," I said in a daze. Out of the corner of my eye, Danny shrugged.

"Well, a world famous superhero wants something~ My wish is their command," he joked playfully, his blue eyes twinkling. I giggled a little, before pausing.

"What about Tucker? Are you going to get him out of school?" I asked, worrying slightly if Danny had forgotten his second best friend. His smile fell, and he shook his head.

"I'll see him when he gets out. I want to talk to you in private, and… well, there are some things that I'd rather he not hear." His tone took on a dark edge and the mere sound of it against his "adult" voice sent a chill down my spine. Why was it familiar?

"What about? Is something the matter?" I asked quietly, fearfully. I stared at his face for a long moment as if searching for a clue of what could answer my question before he inhaled deeply and responded,

"I've gone through a lot in the past few years. I'll keep it at that for now."

For the first time, Danny walked off without me. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept his attention straight forward. I stood tens of paces behind him, frozen in concern and confusion. What could have happened to cause him to go from happy back to grim in a split second? And why did he have to keep it away from Tucker and not me…?

I grimaced as possible scenarios reeled through my head, and jogged half-heartedly to catch up to him. We passed several buildings, people, and I nearly tripped over a curiously placed, broken tree branch before Danny said anything else.

"Sam, could you promise me something?" He asked me, the darkness still clouding his voice. I swallowed hard to extinguish my fears and nodded.

"Of course, Danny. What is it?" I tried to sound as supportive as I could.

More silence.

"No matter what happens from now on… I want you to promise me that you'll be careful." There was a tint of desperation in his tone at that statement, which caused a dull blade to stab into my heart. I decided it was best not to question his motives.

"I've always been cautious. You know that… after all the things we've been through," I said firmly as we both almost simultaneously slowed to a stop. My words appeared to have reached him, and he smiled again.

"Right," he breathed lightly, the evil in his words vanished.

I was completely unprepared as Danny's hand grabbed mine, and in a split second I was suddenly floating high above the ground.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~

"Jack? What're you working on?" Maddie asked as she padded out of the kitchen, pulling the hood to her jumpsuit back and running a hand through her dusty hair. Across the living room and on the couch, the large man sat with a mechanical box on his lap. Part of it was open and he delicately prodded at several wires with a screwdriver.

"Just working on a portable ghost shield," he said simply. Maddie's eyebrows rose.

"Besides the specter deflector…?" She questioned, walking over to her husband and watching him play with the wires.

"Well, imagine if there was a group of people being chased by a ghost. They just power up this baby and then- bam!- they're safe! It's just like the one for our house, but smaller," he explained with a smile and confident twinkle in his eye. Maddie's lips pulled back into a small grin.

"I'm just having problems altering its over all diameter… I wanna see if I can get it so it expands and shrinks depending on how many people need it…" Jack mumbled mostly to himself.

"Hm?" Maddie breathed as the phone rang. They rarely ever got calls, besides from their daughter. Jazz was gone away to college and only called once and a while for some easy company.

When she checked the caller ID, however, Maddie's eyes narrowed. It was Sam calling from her cell phone…

"Hello? Sam?" She asked as she picked up the device and placed it against her ear.

"_M-Mrs. Fenton!" _She squeaked. The quality was poor and the constant sound of wind muffled her speech.

"Yes, what is it?" Maddie continued, more concerned than confused by the strange sound of her voice.

"_He's back, Mrs. Fenton! Danny's back! I'm actually calling from the air… we're flying there now."_

Maddie momentarily froze. She heard Sam ask her if she was still there and okay, but didn't answer for a long moment. Finally, she regained herself and stammered into the phone, "He's… he's there with you?"

"_Yeah, we're on our way," _Sam said before Maddie was distracted by the sound of shuffling over the phone. She heard someone nervously clear their throat before she fell silent once more.

"_Hey Mom. I know this is probably weird for you, but… we'll talk about it when I get there, okay? Go outside."_

Click.

Maddie held the phone as it sounded its long beep of being disconnected, her eyes plastered to the floor.

"Mads? What's up?" Jack asked, putting the contraption aside. Maddie hung up the phone and turned back towards him, taking a deep breath.

"Our son's back… Jack, Danny's coming home."

Jack stood at once and rushed out the door. Maddie stood there alone as she gathered her thoughts, before following soon after with her heard pounding painfully against her chest. It had been so long… would he still be the same boy she knew and loved? He didn't sound the same, that was for sure, but Maddie knew years of age would do that to him. She had so many questions… but there would be time to get them off her chest. All the time in the world.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~

It had been too long since I flew with Danny. The pure rush and freedom I experience when I soar high above the buildings… it could never be recreated. It's just so wonderful. I blew a piece of hair from my face and looked over at Danny. An odd frown was spread across his lips. My heart sank.

"Okay… I'll say it now to get it out of the way. You're keeping something from me, and everyone else. What's up?" I asked, feeling my eyebrows furrow.

Danny said nothing, but he suddenly lowered and lowered us both to the rooftop of a small apartment building. He released my hand and reached into his back pocket, digging around for a moment before pulling out a green cylinder.

"Sam," he started, pausing to secure the cap. Anxiety slapped me as I realized it was a hypodermic needle. "I want you to take this. Keep it with you all the time. Never, _ever_ forget it." He offered it out to me with an open palm. I glanced at him and then took it. The liquid was icy cold in my hands.

"What is it?" I dared, raising it up in front of the sun. The green sparkled in front of my eyes, and I swore I could see darker swirls dance around like smoke.

"It's… uh… just something the guys I worked with gave me… it's a precautionary thing." He scratched the back of his head, and my face scrunched up.

"For what, exactly?"

Danny sighed heavily and grabbed my hand. Before I could receive an answer, we both shot off into the air once again towards Fentonworks. I eyed him carefully, feeling even more untrustworthy than ever. He was keeping so many things to himself, and it greatly disturbed me. What could be so bad that he couldn't even tell his closest friends?

A few more streets down I could finally see the Fenton household. I sucked in my breath, fearing the bright green ray of an anti-ghost weapon searing through me at any given moment. Thankfully for my sanity, it never came.

"Sam, I'll tell you this now as a warning," Danny said to me in the dark voice that still haunted me from before, "A lot has changed since we last saw each other… I've changed. I've done some things that I'll never live down, and to this day they give me nightmares."

"Danny," I breathed sadly, unsure how to respond.

"Sam, I'm dangerous," Danny said in a weak hiss, "That's why I want you to be careful, and that's why I want you to keep that stuff with you." He motioned to the needle which I still held tightly in my opposite hand.

"How can you be dangerous to anyone?" I protested, "You're a hero! You're the good guy-"

"Enough with the hero shit, alright?!" Danny snapped, his eyes flaring a dangerous green. I gasped in shock; since when did _he_ start cussing? "I'm more of a menace than anything. You have no idea the things I've done. Sam… oh, Sam…" he trailed off, the sadness penetrating his voice.

I looked over and saw two figured standing outside of the Fentonworks. The one in bright orange was shouting excitedly, but I was too deaf by the wind to hear anymore than muffled noise.

"Sam," Danny said in a quiet voice so that I could barely hear it, "I've killed people. _Children. _Innocent people who were unfortunate enough to be around me… I lost control." My blood turned to ice. Danny said a bit more, but I was simply too stunned by his last statement to hear him at all. Even when we landed in front of his parents, I was mute.

Danny held up another fake smile, and even laughed a little as his mother broke down into tears upon his arrival. I watched him, knowing full well that he wanted to cry as well, but for different reasons that I would never be able to comprehend.


	4. Forsaken

Chapter Three: Forsaken

* * *

Long ago, it came to me  
And ever since that day  
Infected with its rage  
But it ends today

_~Within Temptation "It's the Fear"_

* * *

I felt a little awkward sitting in the middle of a family reunion. Danny's parents welcomed me with open arms and invited me to stay, which did make me feel a little better, but not when I knew that Danny probably wanted to leave more than I did. I wasn't about to leave him, though.

"Coffee, son?" Jack offered from the kitchen. Danny looked up, blinking his blue eyes in surprise.

"Jack!" Maddie cried, "He shouldn't be drinking coffee!" She put her hands on her hips. Danny giggled a little.

"Nonsense! He's all grown up. A little coffee wouldn't hurt him," he protested.

"It's alright, I'm fine," Danny chuckled with a shake of his head. "I'm pretty awake as it is. I'd rather not risk the caffeine." He crossed his legs and slumped back in the couch to get more comfortable. Soon after, he rested his head on the back of the chair and exhaled deeply, his eyes closing. I watched him until Mrs. Fenton approached me.

"Sam, would you like something?" She asked politely. I shook my head.

"I'm good, thanks," I said nicely, interlacing my fingers on my lap. She nodded and walked back towards the other side of the room.

"So Danny!" Jack exclaimed as he traveled deeper into the living room, startling Danny from his relaxed state. "What have you been doing while you were away?" He sounded genuinely interested, and I forced myself to avoid eye contact with Danny. I could just imagine him telling his parents what he told me… the mere idea frightened me.

"Oh, you know, just training a bunch and developing my powers some," Danny answered more casually than I expected. "I helped some ghost hunters out, too, but that wasn't as major. Just helped with the fighting and such. There are actually a lot of ghost-ridden places besides Amity Park…"

"So, would you be willing to demonstrate some of these powers?" Maddie asked, "If you want to, anyway."

Danny's eyebrows furrowed and he laughed nervously. "Uh, well, sure…"

"Great!" Jack shouted enthusiastically, "I'd love to see what kind of stuff you can do!" He turned and rushed off down the hall- I assume towards the ghost lab in the basement. From the side I saw Maddie put her palm to her face.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't try anything weird…" she said lamely, following after Jack in a slow walk.

As soon as his parents were gone, Danny phased back into the serious-sadness that I dreaded. He cleared his throat, sighed, and rested his head in his hands.

"Danny… if you're really upset you shouldn't pretend to be so cheery. You already did it to me, and look how that ended up," I said, pushing myself up to my feet and walking over beside him. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I don't want them to know… I can't tell them anything that happened," he mumbled through his fingers. "I just can't."

"They'll understand, I know they will… you don't have to worry about them being angry," I tried to coax.

"I'm not scared of that," Danny grumbled, pulling his hands back and resting them at his sides. He glanced up at me, and then returned his stare to the opposite wall. "I don't want them to be afraid of me."

"Afraid of… you? Danny, that's outrag-"

"Sam, have you ever been afraid of me? Ever?" Danny asked sharply, catching me off guard. I opened my mouth but was unable to speak. His face relaxed. "Whenever I lost it, or was being controlled… or grew up to be the most vicious ghost on the planet?"

I found myself holding my breath at his last statement. His evil adult self, dubbed as "Dan Phantom." He had tried to kill me and Tucker… he destroyed and killed even more. He was literally the most evil scum I could possibly think of.

And in Danny's voice, I could still hear him.

He smiled weakly. "That's what I thought. I was afraid of becoming evil. I kept telling myself that it would never happen, but… it did. And I had no control." He tilted his head back and inhaled deeply. "For a while when I was gone, I was nothing but a monster. I didn't have a conscience, and the worst part is that… I… I can remember everything." His face twisted with frustration and he sat back up, eyebrows furrowed and jaw clenched tightly. "I know what it is to be evil now. I've been there. I've hurt and I've killed… I caused chaos that nobody could stop."

Tears welled in the edges of my eyes as he spoke. I didn't want to hear it; it was too much for my heart to take.

Danny's eyes flashed red. "And I loved it."

The blood drained from my face. "Danny…?"

"Alright son! We're ready for you!" Jack's voice could be heard calling from downstairs. Immediately, Danny shook his head and his eyes returned to their natural baby blue. I tried to shake the evil image out of my head, but failed miserably and instead chose to tear away from my friend and head downstairs. It was only then that I regained my thoughts and was able to process what had just happened. For an incredibly brief moment, it hadn't been Danny Fenton I was looking at. It was Dan.

I took in a shaky breath as I heard Danny follow behind me. The sounds of his footsteps caused my heart to beat faster and a vague sense of paranoia pooled inside of me. That, however, was drown out by pure despair.

Danny was right. I was afraid of him.

~:~:~:~:~:~

"Geez," Danny coughed as he entered the lab. There were several targets, mounted laser guns, and solid walls spread around in a sort of maze. I felt uneasy standing in there.

"Well?" Jack said eagerly, "Aren't you going to show us what you can do?"

"Well, uh," Danny began, rubbing the back of his neck, "I didn't realize that you were going to make an obstacle course for me… Are you sure you want me to do this?"

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure you can handle it!" Jack said confidently. Maddie nodded from his side.

"I was more concerned about destroying the lab," Danny mumbled out of earshot. "Well, alright," he added with a shrug. Two rings of light appeared at his waist and traveled away from each other. When he was fully in his ghost form, he stretched out his arms. "Okay."

I squawked as Maddie grabbed my arm and threw me to the side. Soon after, her and Jack followed and hid by me in the corner of the room. Danny twisted around and gave us confused looks, before the beam of a laser struck his side and slammed him into a wall. Blinking rapidly, he turned his attention back to the lasers. Of course, I thought, they finally make their weapons dangerous when they want to see their son show off.

Danny gritted his teeth and floated forward. Then, much to my surprise, he closed his eyes.

"What is he doing?" He heard Maddie whisper to Jack. I didn't pay attention to his response and kept my attention on the half-ghost in the center of the room.

Right as more lasers fired, his eyes flicked open and glowed light blue. In a split second, the mounted guns all seized up and were coated by a thick layer of frost. Danny broke his concentration, causing his eyes to shift back to normal. Then, he smiled a little.

"Is that it?" He asked, easily twirling around and striking every target with a beam of energy from his fingertips without paying much attention. My fear of Danny subsided for admiration at his improvement. At least some of the training worked well for him.

He left the walls untouched and touched back to the floor. His parents both rose and raced out towards him. I decided to stay in place.

"That was amazing!" Jack cheered, "I can't believe how good you've gotten at this." Danny smiled in slight embarrassment.

"It's nothing, really," he said meekly, to which Maddie shook her head.

"No, really Danny, it's great! I'm proud of you," she stated with a wide smile.

My heart skipped a beat as I saw the familiar look of pain shoot across his face. I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"It's nothing…" he tried again, a little quieter this time. I rose from my place and hesitantly made my way over to the group. Danny hiccupped when I grew near, a wisp of icy breath rising from his lips. "Uh, I'd better go. Ghosts and stuff," he said quickly, pushing away from his parents and rising into the air.

"Be safe," Maddie cautioned, and he nodded, before turning intangible and flying up through the ceiling.

My mouth fell open. For the first time, Danny left to fight ghosts without me (and Tucker, but he wasn't out of school for an hour or two). He didn't even so much as look at me before leaving.

Without another word to the Fentons, I ran up at the stairs and threw their front door open as I shot off outside.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~

"What the hell do you want?" I heard Danny hiss. I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the sun, only catching a glimpse of his black and white suit. There was a laugh as well, but from another source.

Careful to avoid the road, I ran farther out across the sidewalk. Sure enough, there was a human-like ghost there, one I had yet to see. Its skin was a pale green, and it wore heavy armor similar to a knight. It shrugged at Danny's question.

"Nothing, ghost child. I just come with a message from my king…" he started, crossing his thick-plated arms.

Danny snorted, "Yeah, what about?" The ghost grinned widely.

"A proposal. My king has seen what you are capable of in the human world, and… well, he's impressed. Most ghosts are unable to show such bloodlust," he explained. I could feel rage radiating from Danny in heavy waves, causing my stomach to knot up in fear. "My king would like you to join his ranks. You would be a powerful opponent to the ghost hunters in this world."

Danny gritted his teeth. "Why would I do something like that?"

The knight laughed again. "Because you don't have much of a choice, do you? The more you stay in the human world, the more you'll kill out of blind rage! Face it, you have no control. My king could help you with your powers. He could make you stronger-"

I didn't have time to think. A green ray suddenly shot across the sky and struck solidly with the knight. He cried out and was sent hurdling into the side of a building. The windows cracked a little under his weight, but he was able to float back forward seemingly unscathed.

"What do you call that?" He questioned with hostility practically oozing from his voice, "You attack without thinking. You're overpowered by your emotions! You know what I say is true; you'll only get angry and shed more blood!"

Danny leapt forward and threw a glowing fist at the ghost, growling angrily. Again, the blow met its target and the knight gagged up bright green ectoplasm, most of which dribbled down his chin. Much to my surprise, he laughed again.

"You have no reason to attack me, and yet you do. You don't care. You're just a monster, worse than any ghost with even the slightest bit of sanity could be."

"Shut the fuck up!" Danny screamed, his eyes noticeably flashing crimson. He kept his fist in place and blasted the ghost with another beam of energy. It tumbled backwards through the air before coming to a stop and drawing a blade from his side. He pointed the tip at Danny. "You don't know… you don't know anything about me! _Nothing_!" I heard Danny snarl.

"Danny… please don't…" I whispered, knowing full well he couldn't hear me. I backed up and pressed myself against the brick walls of Fentonworks.

"I know enough," the knight protested softly, "You're a menace."

He finally snapped. After all that talk, Danny couldn't hold himself back. I wish I could say I stayed there to support him, but… god, I was so scared. He wasn't Danny anymore- not even close. I did the first thing that came to my head as he grabbed the knight and threw him against a building. I ran.

It never occurred to me that Danny had needed me more then than ever.

Behind me I could hear the battle raging: Danny's screams and the sounds of crunching bodies. If anything, these horrible noises only made me run faster. My attempts at fleeing were deemed worthless, as Danny threw the ghost far past me and into a car. The metal was smashed inward at the blow and the ghost spit up more ectoplasm, his sword falling from his grasp and onto the asphalt. Danny sailed over my head and dove at him. He fell from the sky like a bullet, digging his heel into the knight's stomach.

"Monster…" it coughed raggedly. I never thought I'd see a ghost so beaten up and weak. It was almost human.

Danny wailed incoherently and raised his hand behind him, fingers curled into a claw. It glowed brightly, and for a brief moment I thought I saw daggers replace his fingers. He threw it at the ghost, penetrating through his armor like butter. I gasped, and covered my mouth with my hands. His hand had torn easily through the being all together, and green ooze began pooling on the ground. Danny yanked his arm free, which was also covered in ghost-blood, and took a step back.

The knight coughed and vomited up more ectoplasm, falling to his knees. I could see his form flicker, as if he was starting to fade away…

"Danny," I breathed, realizing how malicious the attack had truly been. What if it wasn't a ghost? What if it had been… a human child?

"Very… good… ghost boy," the dying being mumbled, "Bloodlust… monster… in every…" He lacked the time to finish his sentence. He folded on himself and fell to the ground, his form evaporating into a green smoke and diminishing into the air.

Several seconds ticked by as Danny stared down at the pool of slowly fading ectoplasm on the ground. Eventually, he collapsed to his knees and clawed his hands through his hair, staining its normal beautiful white with the green that coated his fingers.

I don't know what possessed me at that point. Very hesitantly, I took a step forward. Then another. Soon, I was walking surprisingly easily towards the ghost boy.

"Danny?" I tried quietly. I could see his shoulders trembling. "Danny…?"

He raised his head and looked at me with bright red eyes. He was clenching his jaw tightly closed, as if trying to block out pain.

"Sam," he choked, "The- the needle… do you… have it?" The desperation in his tone assured me that the hypodermic needle was indeed as important as he had made it sound. Immediately I put my hand to my side, and horror struck me. I looked down at myself and patted my pockets. It was gone.

Alarm twisted at Danny's expression. He squeezed his eyes closed and huddled himself together.

"No, no, no…!" He groaned in agony. "No, please, no…"

"D-Danny, what's-?" I stammered.

He threw himself back, arms at his sides and despairingly shrieked into the air. I saw faint sparks of red flicker into life around him, before something resembling an electric wall hit me. I soared backwards and gasped as my back cracked against cement. I tasted metallic copper in my mouth, and tried to raise my head. My limbs were so heavy… The colors around me spun as my vision fogged up and I relaxed against the sidewalk.

"Danny…" I breathed as I fell into darkness, his horrible scream merely an echo in the distance.


	5. Fight Inside

This chapter is dedicated to Extant, who was the first reviewer of this story. :) Thanks a ton.

---

Chapter Four: Fight Inside

* * *

How do you sleep  
When you live with your lies  
Out of your mouth  
Up from your mind  
That kind of thinking  
Starts a chain reaction

_~Disturbed "Violence Fetish"_

* * *

"_Sam…? SAM!"_

"_I'm dangerous…"_

"_GET AWAY!"_

"Sam…? Sam?"

A soft groan escaped my lips. I twitched my fingers and slowly regained a small grasp of consciousness. I struggled to open my eyes, however, as they were heavy and tired. My mouth still tasted of rich metal. Burning sunlight spilled into my vision, and I hissed as my pupils painfully shrank back.

"Sam?" the voice asked again, "Are you okay?" It was feminine.

My eyesight slowly cleared until I could recognize the blur hovering above me. Bright, almost red, hair… blue jumpsuit.

"Mrs… Mrs. Fenton?" I asked groggily. She sighed in relief.

"Good, you're alright. Can you sit up?" Maddie continued gently. She sat on one knee at my side, supporting herself upright by pressing a hand against the pavement.

"Uh…" I mumbled, attempting to push myself up. My head pounded as it lifted from the cement, and the muscles in my back screamed in pain. I sucked in my breath and fell back down. "No…" I concluded out loud. Maddie frowned deeply.

"Alright. Stay there, I'll call an ambulance," she said quickly, getting to her feet.

"W-wait!" I cried weakly, "Where's… where's Danny?" Maddie's expression fell, and she turned to leave.

"Be right back," she said lamely, walking away from me.

I sighed deeply, trying to gather my memories of what had happen prior to me falling unconscious. Danny was fighting a ghost… he…_ killed_ the ghost… He went berserk and I ended up getting hit.

I cocked my head, my neck still aching, and my eyes widened upon seeing the damage done to the area. Buildings were broken, their windows completely shattered. The ground was cracked open to reveal a small crater in the middle of the road- I assumed that was where Danny had been- and cars were smashed to scrap metal along the sidewalk. I could hear sirens and chattering from around me, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see Danny from where I was.

"Oh my god!" I heard a familiar voice cry, "Sam!" Footsteps grew louder and louder until a familiar face entered my vision.

"Tucker?" I asked disbelieving. His eyes shone with concern.

"I heard what happened; I skipped out of class… so it's true that Danny's back?" He asked in awe, to which I nodded. Then, he grimaced. "And… he did this, didn't he?" I hesitated, but ended up nodding again. Tucker's hands rolled into fists. "Man…"

"Did you see him?" I croaked. My throat was dry, and burned when I spoke.

"No, I didn't. But there were guys over there talking about him. I saw his dad, too. He seemed pretty upset," Tucker explained with a sigh.

"I'll bet…" I muttered.

"So, uh, why are you on the ground?" If I could, I would've slapped my hand against my face.

"I'm hurt. Not sure how bad, but I can't get up. Mrs. Fenton left to call an ambulance," I said lowly. Tucker flinched.

"Geez! Are you gonna be alright?!" I almost laughed at the sudden alarm that entered his tone. It was as if he wasn't taking the situation seriously.

"I think so. I'm not dead, so that's a start."

Tucker exhaled deeply, and dropped to the ground, crossing his legs. "Well, I have no where else to be. I guess I can stay here until they get back." He looked back at me, and I smiled a little.

"Aren't you a saint," I commented half-heartedly. Amusement sparkled in his eyes.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax. I couldn't move, could barely talk… I only hoped that Danny, wherever he was, was safe and didn't do as much harm as I feared he had done.

~:~:~:~:~:~

"I don't know how this could've happened," Jack said sadly, "He was just fine earlier… I don't get it."

"Well, we're all lucky that your ghost shield-thing worked when it did. Otherwise… I really don't know what could've happened," an officer said with a shake of his head. "It's such a shame; I never realized someone with as big of a good reputation like his could do so much damage by himself."

Jack's eyebrows furrowed. "… Yeah."

He glanced over his shoulder at his son, who was lying unconscious inside the green-tinted shield which he had been lucky enough to fix at the brink of his son's insanity. Danny was bruised and bloody from both his fight with the ghost and trying to fend of his parents, but seemed strangely peaceful and breathed easily in his unconscious state.

Jack never truly understood what kind of power Danny had to waste until he had to fight against him. In the past, he had always held back in fear of hurting his family. But then… it was just pure explosive power. He wasn't as controlling and his aim was sloppy. He didn't care and just destroyed everything that got in his way.

Jack felt he and Maddie were lucky to have escaped with minor scratches.

~:~:~:~:~:~

"_Danny? Danny! What's going on?!" Maddie cried when she saw Danny on his knees, wailing pitifully and firing blasted of fiery energy around him likes waves. She raced towards him, only to freeze up at his red eyes flashed on her. He snarled and threw his arm out towards her._

"_Maddie!" Jack cried as he leapt at her, barely shoving her aside before a powerful ray of energy blasted beside them. He panted and struggled to get back to his feet, stunned by the fact that his own son had attacked him. _

"_Danny!" Maddie cried out in despair, her motherly instincts rendering her unable to even think of fighting back. Jack, however, bit down on his lower lip and plotted. He had to find a way to at least contain his power until he calmed down… Or they would be forced to beat him senseless. He was half-ghost, after all. They had all the weapons they needed. But as Danny's father, and much like his wife, he simply couldn't grasp that idea._

_Danny continued firing random rays and eventually got to his feet. He wobbled a little in his stance before taking to the air. Jack gasped as he saw a police car roll in, sirens screaming and officers rushing out with guns loaded._

"_Ghost kid!" They cried, "What the hell are you doing?!"_

_A demented grin spread across Danny's face, and he dove at the officers._

"_No!" Jack shouted._

_Danny shoved an officer and then fired a ray at another. The man screamed in pain and tumbled across the ground, his jacket sizzling from the burning energy. Danny cackled as he continued blasting the men in a toying fashion. He didn't intend on killing them, just having fun playing with their fear of being killed. He grabbed the edge of the police car and easily flipped it over, littering shattered glass across the ground and causing the siren to be silenced in an instant. He growled and violently kicked at the twisted metal tubes under the vehicle, and sent the car sliding several meters away. The officers scrambled away from him as he laughed again, this time even more cruelly than before._

_An idea sparked in Jack's head. Leaving his wife outside to keep an eye on Danny, he quickly ran inside. He shot across the living room and grabbed the box he had been working on, the ghost shield._

"_Please work," he mumbled under his breath as he headed back outside._

"_Jack, do something! He's going to…" Maddie trailed off. "Dammit. I wish _I_ could do something."_

"_Me too," Jack said softly. "Hey Danny-boy! Over here!" He called out._

_Danny paused, and turned his angry gaze on his parents. He raised his hands, both of which began to glow red._

"_Here!" Jack yelled, flinging the box at the half-ghost. Danny's eyes widened, and he tried to dodge. Something on the box beeped, and it gained speed as tiny claws emerged from its sides._

_Then, it struck Danny directly in the chest and the claws dug into his suit. _

"_Nngh," he growled in confusion, right before electricity shot through him. He screamed in pain and fell to his knees. Maddie and Jack could only watched as he struggled to tear the device off of him, before his movements grew slow and weak. His eyes slowly faded back into a tired green, and he collapsed to the ground. The two rings of light appeared at his center and spread over his body, changing him back into his human form and making him harmless once again, much to everyone's relief. He coughed a couple times, blood speckling the asphalt and his lips. A faint green bubble emerged from the box, which still clung to his chest, and surrounded him in a small radius. _

_There was a long moment of silence, and continuing sirens from more police cars as they drove into the chaos, as the two Fentons watched their son. After a while Jack decided it was safe, and sighed._

"_I can't believe this…" he said quietly, "Danny…"_

_Maddie mirrored Jack's emotions and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Something's really wrong with him, Jack, and we need to find out what. He would never in his right mind hurt anyone… Not even when he's angry!" _

"_Is-is everyone alright?" A tall officer asked wearily, approaching the two. His eyes were still wide with fear. Maddie nodded slowly, but the man's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait, what about her?" He asked, pointing vaguely behind the two._

_Jack blinked, and then turned around. His mouth sat open for a few seconds before he could actually speak, "Hey, isn't that…"_

"_Sam!" Maddie gasped._


	6. Lost

Chapter Five: Lost

* * *

Now I am torn, thought it was over this time  
And we know there's still a fire inside  
And we know, and we know  
We're gonna let it burn  
Let it burn  
Till the image fades away

_~Disturbed "Torn"_

* * *

Seeing my parents in the hospital was probably one of the worst experiences of my life. Though the doctors said I would be fine and suffered minor bruising and only had sore muscles to deal with, that clearly didn't stop them from being overly protective and sticking their noses where it doesn't belong.

I felt like I was fourteen again.

"Samikins!" My mother cried, putting her gloved hand to her face. "What on earth happened to you?"

"Well…" I started, before my father butted in.

"It's that Fenton kid again! He caused even more destruction and almost killed innocent people! I knew he was a menace all along- saving the world or not!" He growled, shaking his head and crossing his arms.

"That's not exactly what-" I tried to explain, but was cut off once more by my other parent.

"Samantha you are forbidden from ever going _near_ that house again! It's way too dangerous for you!" My mother said firmly, placing her hands on her hips.

My eyebrows furrowed in frustration and I argued, "You can't tell me what to do! I'm eighteen!"

"Well, as long as you're living under my roof, you'll do as we say!" My father barked, "It's for your best interests."

Unable to find any logical reason to counter, I slumped back in my bed and muttered expletives under my breath. Of course, leave it to my parents to make the whole situation even worse… Some doctors came in and ushered them from the room, but not before my mother gave me one last warning.

"We'll get you home when we can, and remember, _no Fentons!"_

~:~:~:~:~:~:~

The ride home was no more pleasant. Lucky for me, I guess, I just needed some bandages and rest and I would be fine. So, there was no point wasting a hospital room to someone who really doesn't need it.

The first I did upon arriving at my house was head upstairs and collapse on the bed in my room. I buried my face into the blankets and sighed, finally relieved to be able to relax after the events of that day. Deep inside, I was expecting to wake up from a sort of nightmare, but I knew it would never happen. Danny had gone insane, for real.

I rolled onto my side and curled up on top of the blankets. My room felt humid and warm; comfortable enough to sleep in. The excitement of the day caught up to me all at once, and I sank into unconsciousness.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Maddie knew she would have difficulty sleeping that night, especially since she was forced to make sure Danny would've leave the building at any cost. She doubted he would be able to, even if he wanted to. She and Jack had activated the ghost shield around their house to prevent him from leaving- as requested by the authorities- until they could figure out just what had happened to their son to make him go haywire. Luckily, he wasn't much of a hassle to get home, as he was both human and asleep, but it bothered Maddie that he had yet to wake up.

It felt bizarre for her son, being trapped or not, to be living once again in her household. She had tried to keep his old room tidy while not tearing away any belonging that had been kept in there, but ended up stripping the walls of the NASA posters that Danny had cherished when he was younger. Somehow, she didn't think he would mind with everything that had been going on.

Maddie sat in the kitchen, alone at the table, her fingers tapping anxiously against the ceramic cup she had filled with coffee for about the fourth time that evening. She stared down at her warped reflection in the liquid, sitting in her own silent thought.

"Mads," Jack's voice came from the living room. Maddie snapped to attention and looked over her shoulder.

"What is it, Jack?" She asked, purposely keeping her voice down.

"What's this, on the table?" He asked, catching Maddie's interest. She pushed the chair out from behind her and stood, padding slowly out into the main room, where Jack was holding a cylinder of green liquid in his palm. She raised an eyebrow.

"Where did you find that?" She asked, getting closer and snatching it from her husband's hand. She twirled it in front of her eyes.

"It was just sitting here on the table," Jack explained with a shrug. "I didn't remember having anything like that."

"Right…" Maddie mumbled, a crease forming on her forehead as her eyebrows furrowed. "I wonder what it is…"

"Let's check it out in the lab," Jack suggested, "It looks ghost-related." Maddie bit back a small chuckle; Jack thought nearly everything was ghost-related…

"Sure. We've got time to spare," Maddie agreed finally, trailing off behind Jack as he shot off down the hall.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Maddie gently spun the knob of the microscope as it focused onto a slide containing a sample of the green substance. She peered through the glass and frowned.

"That's odd…" She said softly. Jack perked up from his spot where he sat.

"What? What is it?" He asked, his tone excited but drowsy at the same time. "Ectoplasm?"

"Hardly," she responded flatly, "I can't exactly describe what it is, though… it seems familiar. Speaking of ectoplasm, do you have a sample of it somewhere? I want to see if this has any effect on it."

"Uhh… probably somewhere," Jack mumbled, trotting over to a cabinet and digging through several empty jars and test tubes. "No, no, no…" he repeated, until pausing. He reached into the back and pulled a thin tube of bright green ectoplasm. "Here's some. Not sure where it came from, though."

Maddie turned around for a brief moment. "Oh, I collected that after a ghost attack, so that's why you don't remember it. Anyway, bring it over." Her husband obeyed as she slipped the slide out from the metal claws of the microscope. Carefully, she took a needle and dipped it slightly into the ectoplasm, withdrawing a small drop. Without much hesitation, she tapped it against the slide and put the contraption back together.

When she looked through the scope, her mouth fell open slightly. "Amazing…"

"What? What?" Jack asked quickly, sounding much more awake.

"This substance… when it comes into contact with ectoplasm, it absorbs it in what looks like little bubbles… it's eating away at the ectoplasm!" Maddie exclaimed softly in awe, standing up and turning her attention towards Jack. His lips pulled back into a frown.

"So… what does that mean?" He asked, "Do you think it would destroy ghosts?"

"Well… maybe not, considering how little there is of that compared to the ectoplasm of most ghosts. But I'd say that if the ghost was human-sized or bigger…" She grabbed the hypodermic needle and offered it out to Jack, who took it and fiddled with it in his fingers. "This would act as a massive dose of sedative and could easily render the ghost immobile."

"That's oddly convenient. Or it would have been a few hours ago…" Jack muttered lamely. Maddie sighed.

"Yeah… wait- you don't suppose this is Danny's, do you?" She asked, her eyes widening. "With what happened earlier, that would explain _why_ he would carry around something like this."

Jack's grip on the needle tightened. "To keep him under control. I wish we had known about this before… I should've noticed it when I grabbed the portable ghost shield!"

Maddie shook her head. "By then, I think, it was too late. Nobody could've even gotten close enough to him to use it." Her husband nodded slowly and said something incoherent under his breath. Then, Maddie added, "But that doesn't make sense. If he _did _have it to begin with then… well, why? Wouldn't there be a reason that he would need a powerful sedative?"

Jack grew pale and let his gaze fall to the ground as he pondered Maddie's words. After several seconds, he piped up, "Only if he did something bad."

"Like what?" Maddie countered, appearing just as fearful.

"Becoming a killer," a voice sounded from the side. The two hunters both turned at the same time to see Danny standing at the foot of the stairs, a look of sadness sprawled across his face.

"Danny!" Maddie gasped, "What…?" Her voice cut off abruptly as the words became caught in her throat. Danny walked deeper into the room while keeping his gaze glued to the floor. He swallowed hard, and took in a deep breath.

"I should've told you earlier, and I'm sorry. I didn't know this would happen again… I was hoping that I wouldn't have to tell you about what I've been through," Danny said slowly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It's been really rough."

"What happened?" Maddie asked with such venom in her tone that Danny flinched.

"I-" He began, and then cut himself off. He wasn't about to go out and tell his parents he was a murderer… at least not yet. "I was experimented on. At first it wasn't too bad, and all they needed were some samples of my ectoplasm… it would've helped them with new weapons and shields to fend of ghost attack. But of course, of _course…" _Danny trailed off in a dry laugh, "The man in charge of it all hated my guts. I swear that he would've killed me if it hadn't been for the fact that I was a world hero, and if such a thing was even mentioned out loud he would have an angry mob at his doorstep."

"I thought you went off to train more? Hone your powers?" Jack thought aloud, crossing his arms. Danny looked over at his father and nodded.

"That's what I originally was going for. But it got really bad, really fast…" His voice flattened out, and his muscles noticeably tensed. "That guy, his name was Matthew, hated me, right? Well… he often split hairs to get what he wanted. Truly, he was a sick man. When word got to him about me wanting to train, he took it to the extreme. I couldn't refuse his offer, after all- I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn't realize how far he'd push the limits. It was inhuman and I'd hardly call it 'training.'"

"What did he do?" Maddie piped up, less angry and more in a subtle state of horror. She couldn't possibly imagine what experiences Danny could have faced.

Danny was silent for several seconds. "He pushed me to my limit as a ghost, and a human. He wouldn't allow me to eat and barely let me drink… he screamed at me and he took heavy amounts of my ectoplasm…" his teeth gritted together. "Nobody even knew. They were either blind or all under his command. I hated him so much… so much…" His voice broke off, and a deep sadness draped his expression. "I was too weak to fight back. Most of my powers were diminished and all I could hope for was someone to sneak in and break me out. Months passed and there wasn't anyone. I had given up."

"That's…" Jack muttered.

Danny finished his sentence, "Horrible." He drew his hands from his pockets and allowed them to sit casually at his sides. "But it doesn't end quite yet… it was true nobody came, but… I ended up getting out. While the idea may have been thrilling at the time, now that I have the chance to think about it… I wish I had been stuck in that prison." He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. "He came by again for an ectoplasm sample. He did what he normally did and hissed at me like I was a monster. He grabbed me and stuck the needle in my arm. He didn't care. He didn't fucking care what happened to me." His hands rolled into tight fists.

"For months I had to deal with this bastard and nobody ever cared about me. I was careless enough to fall into a trap, and nobody cared. Nobody gave a _shit_ about me!" His eyes flashed bright green. "I was completely alone in that prison. It was so quiet at first, but… then I started to hear things. I was listening to myself. My thoughts. They were so loud and out of body- it was like a conversation. I just sat there, day in night, and listened…" He closed his eyes.

Maddie and Jack exchanged nervous glances with each other. They were both becoming increasingly nervous with Danny's growing hostility as he told his tale.

"I didn't feel like myself anymore. I wanted out, sure, but I also wanted more. I wanted Matthew to suffer for so long as I did. I wanted to scream at him, hurt him, make sure he knows how I felt about him… god, I hated him so much! But that day, with that ectoplasm sample… The noise was gone. It was so quiet." He looked up at his parents with glorious red eyes. "And that was when it happened. That man was a fool. He left himself open and there wasn't anyone around to help him. I felt such a rush of energy, it was amazing. It didn't feel like mine, but I didn't care. I had what I needed to fight back." Slowly, a smile crept across his lips. "It was so easy. I didn't even have to try very hard. My fingers wrapped perfectly around his neck. He screamed and screamed and flailed, but… he was only human, after all. He fell still in my hands, but I kept squeezing. It wasn't enough. I wanted him to _suffer!" _He stood up a little taller and chuckled, "I snapped right through his neck with my hands alone…! He was so weak!" The laughter grew into loud cackling, which caused his parents to leap up.

"Danny, you need to calm down!" Maddie warned loudly, "You're losing it!"

Danny, however, ignored his mother and continued, "It was so easy! I just left! God, those people… their faces when I went by. Some of them tried to stop me, but their necks were as flimsy as Matthews! So easy… so fucking _easy!" _Red energy flared around him.

Jack braced himself, taking a step forward with the hypodermic needle in his hand. "Danny! Get a hold of yourself!" He shouted through the demonic sounds of his son's laughter.

"I got out! I kept going… so many people! So weak… all of them! They screamed and cried and tried to run. There were some little ones… so fragile and scared. They couldn't protect themselves at all. There was blood everywhere… more screaming. God, the noises! Everywhere! So loud… so loud…" As his rage diminished, he sank down to his knees. "I was covered in blood… so dizzy… my head hurt…"

"Oh god, no…" Maddie whimpered, her hands covering her mouth. "Danny, is that… true?" Jack seemed just as horror-struck.

Danny's head drooped. He nodded slowly; his shoulders began to tremble as he wept silently. He buried his face into his hands, and he screamed.

"It's all my fault."


End file.
